


All Safe and Blessed

by live_laugh_read



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Gen, Post-Prince Caspian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 08:17:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20336992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/live_laugh_read/pseuds/live_laugh_read
Summary: Lucy remembers Narnia, and wonders where they are going.





	All Safe and Blessed

Lucy stared up at the soaring wooden roof of the abbey, picking out the finely wrought detail carved into the mahogany, created by careful craftsmen centuries before.

It was a month since they had returned from Narnia, following the war against Miraz for the throne of Cair Paravel. Whilst they were all adjusting to being back in the world of their birth, she knew that Peter and Susan were taking it harder than herself and Edmund.

Too old. She could scarcely believe it. Her elder brother and sister could not return to Narnia.

“Lucy,” her mother nudged her gently, bringing her back to earth, and Lucy scrambled to stand and open the hymn book simultaneously.

_“Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side,_

_bear patiently the cross of grief or pain._

_Leave to thy God to order and provide;_

_in every change He faithful will remain…” _

It sounded like a funeral dirge, and she hated it. She much preferred the bright, quick music of Narnia, that she could dance to with her brothers and sister, or Tumnus the faun – who was long since dead, now.

Since their return to Spare Oom – as they took to calling it when they were in Narnia – she knew that a thousand ages must have passed in Narnia. Caspian would be long since gone, and a new monarch reigning in Cair Paravel’s halls.

_“Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,_

_and all is darkened in the vale of tears – _

_then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,_

_who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears..”_

It irked her, that she could do little good here. As Queen, she had at least been able to ensure that steps were taken for the rejuvenation of Narnia. Here, she was little more than a girl, loyal to an ailing King affected by the war.

No, there must be something that she could do. Something small, that would make a difference in a recovering country. She would ask Susan – after all, who better than the Gentle to know what to do for the hurt and grieving?

_“Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on,_

_when we shall be forever with the Lord._

_When disappointment, grief and fear are gone –_

_sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored!”_

She snuck a sidelong glance at Peter and Susan, sharing a hymn book and clutching each other’s free hands so tightly their knuckles were white. Lucy knew that, although they were grieving for their loss, they dared to hope that one day, they would be with Aslan for all time, in the True Narnia that awaited everyone.

In the meantime, however… there was a life yet to be lived.

_“Be still my soul: when change and tears are past,_

_all safe and blessed, we shall meet at last.”_

_One day_, she thought. _One day, when change and tears are past, we shall all meet in Aslan’s Country._

* * *

_Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, will live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”_

_(John, 11:25)_

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the hymn "Be Still my Soul", performed by the King's College Choir, Cambridge. 
> 
> I wanted to talk about both Lucy/the others' sorrow at leaving Narnia, not knowing what their purpose is now, but also being comforted in the knowledge that one day they will return to Narnia and never leave.


End file.
